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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. KERBS 8v A. ARMELLINI. APPARATUS PURPRUDUGING AGBTYLENB.

No. 599,241. Patented Peb. 15,1898.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. KERBS 8a A. ARB/IELLINI. APPARATUS POR PRODUGING A-GETYLBNE.

110.599,241. Patented Feb. 15,1898.

UNiTED STATES l EMILIO KERBS AND ALESSANDRO ARMELLINI, OF MILAN, ITALY.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ACTYLENE.

SPECIFICATIONformng part of Letters Patent No. 599,241, dated February 15, 1898. Application led March 29, 1897. Serial No. 629,307. (No model.) Patented in Italy J'uly 30, 1896, LXXXII, 52.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, EMILIO .Knees and ALESSANDRO ARMELLINI, residing at Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy, have invented certain new and useful Automatic Apparatus for Producing Aeetylene, (for which we have obtained Letters Patent of Italy, dated July 30, 1896, Vol. 82, N. 52, R. A.,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to that type of gasgenerating apparatus in which a calcium or other suitable carbid is caused to unite with water for the production of acetylene gas.

It is our purpose to provide an apparatus of this character having' such organization that the supply of gas shall be regulated automatically in proportion to the rate of consumption.

It is a further purpose of our invention to provide an apparatus of the type mentioned in which the parts Aare so constructed and combined that carbid maybe supplied without interrupting either the process of generation or the supply of the gas to the point or points where it is consumed.

Our invention consists, therefore, in the novel features of construction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, and then particularly pointed out and defined in the claims which conclude this specication.

To enable those skilled in the art to which our said invention pertains to clearly understand andV to make and use the same, we will now describe said invention in detail, reference being had for this purpose to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical section of an apparatus in which our invention isincorporated. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section upon the line 3 3 in Fig. 1, looking upward. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of the shaft and disks which close the openings in the lower portions of the casings and the open ends of the gas-exit tubes, said parts being disconnected from the apparatus.

The reference-numeral 1 in said drawings indicates a vessel of cylindrical or other suitable form, within which is arranged a second bell 2, of somewhat less diameter, so that a space 3 is left between the two vessels. The bell 2 is open at its lower end, but closed at the upper end, and water is introducedin such quantity that it rises in both vessels 1 and 2 to the same point, lling` the vessel 1 to about three-fourths of the entire depth of said vessel. Somewhat below its upper end the bell 2 is closed by a partition 4, which is lowest at its central point, where an aperture 5 is provided, in which lies a valve-stem 6, having a float 7 upon its lower end, which is a little below the lowest point of the partition 4. Upon the upper end of said valve-stem is a valve 8, which descends upon and closes the aperture 5 when the iioat is not buoyed up by the wateilying in the bell 2.

Above the partition 4 a chamber 9 is provided, lying between said partition and two semicircular casings 10 and 12, 4which areplaced above the partition, its top being closed by a circular wall 13, which extends over the entire upper end of the bell 2, save that said wall 13 is provided with two semicircular hinged lids 14 and 15, which close apertures of corresponding form and by which access may be had to the interior of either casing 10 or 12. 'W'ithin said casings removable baskets 1G and 17 are arranged to contain the carbid, which is introduced by means' of hinged tops upon said baskets. Said tops are perforated to permit gas to pass out into the chamber 9. Said baskets are also provided with perforated portions 16a and 17 to admit water, which enters the chamber 9 through the aperture 5, the valve 8 being opened by the rise of the float 7. In the bottom ofl each casing is a semicircular opening 18, immediately beneath which is a plate 19, of circular form and having such diameter as to extend over both open spaces 18. In said plate is an opening 19a, (shown in Fig. 4,) similar in shape to the openings 1S and in such position as to coincide with either one of the latter as the disk 19 is turned upon its center. Said disk is rigidly mounted on a shaft 20, centrally and vertically arranged between the two casin gs. The upper end of the shaft rises above the wall 13 and-has an arm 21, by which it may be turned in such manner as to bring the opening 19@L into coincidence with either opening 18, while the solid portion of the disk covers and effectually closes the correspond- IOO ing opening in the other casing. Thus when one of said casings is open at the aperture 18 the other will be closed. The shaft 2O is held up by a spring 20 in order to press the disk closely against the edges of the opening 18.

From the interior of the casings l0 and 12 gas-exit pipes 22 and 23 lead into the space between the casings, said space forming part of the chamber 9. Upon the shaft 2O is a disk 24, mounted centrally and horizontally in such relation to the semicircular plate 19 that when the latter closes the bottom of either casing the plate 24 will simultaneously close the gas-exit pipe leading from the same casing. Said disk has an opening 24a, Fig. 3, which opens the gas-eXit pipe belongingto the same casing, having its lower portion opened by the aperture 1,9a in the disk 19. When thisad-justment of the'describe'd parts is made, thev lid closing the top opening of the casing which is closed by the-disks 19 and 24 can be opened, the basket contained therein can be removed, and the lime resulting from the action of water upon the carbid can be emptied and a fresh charge supplied. The basket is then replaced and at the proper time-the same operation is carried out with the other casing and basket, the process of generation and gas consumptionV being uninterrupted. The gas is removed from the chamber 9 by a pipe 25. The bell 2 is sustained at' any point in the vessel l by a cord 26, running over pulleys 27, arranged on a frame 28,- the necessary counterpoise bein-g obtained by wei'ghts29. Communication is affordedfroml` the chamber 9 to the interior of the bel-l,l below the partition 4, by a pipe 30, onev end of which penetrates the wall v 1.3, the other end being in the partition 4. The pipe 30 is provided with a cup-valve consisting of a hollow casing 31, which is entered by both portionsof the pipe, the lower part of the latter risingsomewhat above the bottom of the casing 31. W'ithin said casing a cup 32`is arranged, the open end of the lower part of the pipe 30 entering said cup and rising above its lower edge, which'has a series of perforations32a near its margin. Sufficient mercury 33 is placed in thecasing 31 to cover said perfora-Y of the pipe.

The operation of the parts is as follows: When no gas is collected in the chamber 9, the bell 2 will descend by the preponderance of its own weight until the float 7 is lifted and water caused to enter the chamber 9. Should the evolution of gas rise above lthe volume consumed, the pressure in the chamber 9 will cause theV mercury in casing 3l to pass into the cup 32, in which it rises until` the perforations 32 are uncovered. The gas" then flows .through the pipe 30 into the bell, below the partit-ion 4, thereby causing said bell to rise, whereupon the Valve 8 closes, and as water cannot reach the carbid the generation of gas decreases and finally ceases.

When gas is again drawn from the chamber 9, the preponderance of pressure in the bell 2 will cause said gas to return through the pipe 30. Thereupon the bell 2 will sink until the water again lifts the float 7 and valve 8, whereupon water enters and the generation yot' gas begins again.

1. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the combination with a vessel constructed to contain a body of water, of a bell having its open end downward-and lying in the water in said vessel, said bell having a partition below its upper end to form a gas-chamber above said partition, casings arranged in said gas-chamber and provided with gas-outlets and with openings for theentrance of water, avalve in the partition for the passage of water, and means for closingthe openings and-,gas-outlets in said casi-ugs, substantially as described.

' 2. Invan apparatus for generating acetylene gas=,the combination with a vessel constructed tocontain water, of a bell having its open end downward and lying i-n a body of water in said vessel, said bell having a parti-tion'to form a 1 gas-chamber below its upper end and above said partition, a float-valve to close an opening in the center of said partition, casings ar- 5 ranged in said gas-chamber and provided with gas-outlets and with apertures for the admission of water and means for closing` the gasoutlet and aperture in one casing while the 1 aperture and the gas-outlet in the other casl ing remain open, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combination with a vessel constructed to contain a body of water, of a 1 bell having its closed end downward and lying in said water, said bell having a partition i below its upper end, a float-valve in an aper- 1 tu-.re i-n said partition, two casin gs in the gaschamber above said partition-and removable through hinged lids, and disks carried by and adapted to turn with a central shaft to close anaperture in the bottom of one casing and a gas-exit pipe leading from said casing, while the aperture and gas-exit pipe of the other casing remain open, substantially as described.

tions, but not rising as high as the open end l 4. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination with a vessel constructed to contain water, of a bell having its open end downward and suspended in a body of water in said vessel, said bell having a partition belowr its closed upper endto form a gas-chamber,gasgenerating devices between the closed upper end of said vessel and said partition, a float-valve to open and close an aperture in said partition, a tube leading from said gaschamber upward and above the closed upper end of the bell and thence back through the same and into the space below the partition and a cup-valve in said tube, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination with a vessel constructed IOC to contain a body of water, of a bell having its open end downward and lying in said water, said bell having an apertured partition below its closed upper end to form a gas-charnber, means arranged in said chamber for the generation of gas, a tube opening through the closed upper end of said bell and rising above the same, then bent and carried through the gas-chamber and partition, and a cup-Valve in said tube consisting of a easing inelosing a break in said pipe, a cup inverted in said casing and entered by the open end of the lower part of the pipe, and a body of mercury rising above perforations in the edge of said cup'but having its normal level below the I5 end of the inelosed pipe, substantially as desoribed.

In witness whereof we havel hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses. EMILIO KERBS. ALESSANDRO ARMELLINI. Witnesses:

OFFRIo-so LARRASI, GIACOMO GUARMRI. 

